English pool rules: a simple guide
English 8-ball pool is played with seven reds, seven yellows, a black and a white cue ball. Each player pots their own colour group and then the black to win. The basics are the same everywhere, but the details vary between pub "house rules", local leagues and the two main rule sets.
Two main rule sets
Organised English pool in the UK mostly follows either the English Pool Association's rules (often called blackball rules) or World Eightball Pool rules. They differ on details such as what happens after a foul and on the break. Many pubs still play their own traditional rules, so agree the rules before you start.
The basics
- Racking: the 15 object balls are racked in a triangle with the black in the middle of the third row.
- The break: the breaker plays from behind the baulk line. Most rules require a minimum number of balls to reach the cushions (or a pot) for a legal break.
- Choosing colours: the colour of the first ball legally potted after the break usually becomes that player's group. Some rules leave the table "open" until a player chooses.
- Your turn: keep playing while you legally pot your own colour.
- The black: once all your colour is gone, pot the black to win the frame.
Fouls
Typical fouls are potting the white, hitting your opponent's colour first, hitting the black first before you're on it, missing everything, or a ball leaving the table. Potting the black early or illegally usually loses the frame outright.
What your opponent gets after a foul depends on the rules being played:
- Traditional pub rules: usually two shots (or "two visits").
- Many league rule sets: ball in hand, where the incoming player can place the cue ball, sometimes anywhere and sometimes only behind the baulk line.
Tips for pub and club games
- Ask what rules the table plays before the first break, especially how fouls and "two shots" work.
- Call ambiguous shots when the rules require nominating.
- Wait your turn at a busy table. Putting a coin on the cushion or chalking your name on the board is a common way to "book" the next game.
Many snooker clubs have pool tables too. Find one near you, or compare pool and snooker.